


Take Your Mama Out All Night

by TortiTabby



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Domestic, Drinking, Family, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gay Bar, M/M, but not really ?, thoughts of homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 17:50:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14720801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TortiTabby/pseuds/TortiTabby
Summary: Dan's Mum drops by in a surprise visit and Phil observes as they all end up the last place he would have guessed.





	Take Your Mama Out All Night

**Author's Note:**

> I hope I do this justice. It's been in my head for quite some time now. The song came on a few weeks ago and this story has been stuck in my head since.
> 
> Title from the song Take Your Mama by Scissor Sisters

Phil was nervous. It wasn't as though he was never around Dan's family. It wasn't often but he had met them enough times. It was just never very long visits and it was always a slow brewing idea of Dan's that took some time to execute. He usually had time to prepare. It wasn't the case this weekend.  
“It's weird and you know it's weird!” Dan was yelling towards Phil while they tidied up different parts of the house. His mum had just dropped the news that she would be in London and like to visit and stay the night in a few days “if it wouldn't put them out.”  
“It's not weird! She said it was fine if it wouldn't work out, Dan.”  
“Of course it would put us out though, Phil. People don't say that to make sure it's okay they say that to make sure you know there isn't a polite way to tell them you don't want them to come over.” Dan groaned as he shoved more of their laundry into the washer. They knew they would have to rewash it later on but it was better just out of sight out of mind for now.  
Phil quietly walked over to Dan and weaved his arms around Dan's middle, pulling him close.  
“She wants to see you. It's nice.” He said softly in his ear. “It's a little out of nowhere but it's still nice.”  
Dan spun around, still in Phil's embrace. “Ah-HA! I told you it was weird.” Phil proceeded to kiss the smug look off of his face. They got considerably less done around the house than what was initially planned but Dan was looking much less rigid than before so Phil still counted it as a win.

 

“You're sure it's fine, right? Like I said I don't want to put you out now so if I am tell me now. Once I unpack that's it.” Dan's mum laughed. Phil laughed along. He couldn't help but notice how alike the two of them were each time he saw them together.  
She had given Dan his brown hair and his brown eyes. Neither would ever admit it but his sense of humor and stubbornness were both uncanny to hers as well. Phil wondered if that's why they often clashed the way that they did. She was different than his own mum in many ways, though he supposed it wasn't fair to compare people. Dan's mum was less involved, a bit reserved. She was also younger. She had Dan at a fairly young age and, sometimes regrettably, got many of their jokes and references. She was the kind of woman you would expect to have Dan Howell as a son, in all the best and worst ways.

Their relationship wasn't as damaged and harrowing as Phil knew a lot of their fan-base speculated. They just weren't as open to each other as he was with Kath. Dan didn't have a nightmare for a childhood but it wasn't really a walk in the park. Phil knew both of Dan's parents were unhappy about him dropping out but he often wondered if they were unhappy about Phil's role in Dan's life. He didn't think he would ever hear it if they were, the time to speak up had long since passed but sometimes he thought about how he would feel if his barely eighteen year old son hopped on a train to see a strange older man he knew off of the internet. Phil knew it wasn't likely the man part that would have upset Dan's parents but not saying anything often left room for him to over think what they thought. So he didn't and he did his best to stop Dan from doing so.  
“Mum.” Dan groaned. “I would tell you if you were putting us out! This is the room you'll be staying in.” He paused. “Because you're staying here. Because. You. Are. Not. Putting. Us. Out.”  
She laughed and pinched his cheek.  
“Fine Daniel. I hear you. Let me unpack and I'll join you both downstairs in a bit? The restaurant opening I'm going to is fairly early. I think about five?” She dug out her phone to scroll through. “Kind of Bev to invite me. Dan do you remember her? She worked with me years back. Ah, no it's four not five.”  
“I don't remember her but that sounds nice.”  
She scoffed and waved a hand at him “You would know her if you see her. Anyway, she's showing me her lovely new house afterward but with the opening that early I should still have plenty of time to spend with you boys. We should go out and do whatever you like to do for fun.” She looked up from her phone and smiled at them. Neither of them asked why she wouldn't be staying at her friend's house. She didn't often stay at their home when she came to London.  
They trekked downstairs. Phil busied himself by making tea. It wasn't necessarily his favorite but it's what his mum would tell him to do and he wanted to do the right thing. The whole visit so far had a charged air to it. There was an underlying tension that he wasn't sure how to address or handle. He knew Dan was feeling it too by his squared shoulders and twitching fingers.  
He placed his on top to soothe them and rubbed the soft skin of the top of Dan's hand with his thumb. Dan sighed and placed his forehead to Phil's shoulder. Silent communication was his favorite thing about his relationship with Dan. They put in nearly ten years to be able to speak with small gestures and facial expressions damn right Phil would be proud of that.  
“All settled.” Dan's mum called out from the doorway. Dan startled away in his arms and Phil tried to not let it bother him.  
“I made some tea for us! I wasn't sure what you liked in it so I just got it all out.”  
She wasn't looking directly at them and her cheeks were stained pink. He tried not to let that bother him, either. They weren't doing anything racey. It wasn't like they were very touchy-feely outside of these walls and if they were it was around people who saw it often.  
_“You're allowed to touch your boyfriend however you want in your own house and not feel weird about it.”_ A voice in his house taunted irritably. It wasn't her fault. It might be her fault that it wasn't her fault but he wasn't going to spiral into that right now.  
“Thank you, Phil. You're very sweet.” She shot him a smile that was too similar to the one the man he loved wore for him to stay irritated very long.

They sat and talked about the weather and train up, the event she was going to and how the rest of the family was doing. Before too long it was time for her to head out.  
“I'll be back around seven. I really want to go out and do what you would do if I wasn't here. Let's have some fun. I've been looking forward to it since I planned this trip.” She called out as she swung her bag over her shoulder.  
“Erm. Okay Mum.” Dan turned to Phil when they heard the front door close.  
Phil just shrugged and laughed at Dan's questioning face.  
“Why does my mum really want to watch anime and watch foreign Netflix series with us?” Dan shook his head.  
“Maybe she just wants to go to the movies or something.”  
Dan just laughed more and shook his head. He started heading upstairs, no doubt to disappear into Skyrim and unwind alone while he had the time to.  
“I'm going to edit that Sims video. Are you doing a live show tonight?”  
Dan nodded. “Yeah I already promised before my mum rang. It won't be too long and I'll do it early because god knows where we are going to be at nine.” His laughter rang down the stairs.

 

“Hello?” Phil heard her call out before he saw her. She was shaking the rain off her coat and smiling over at him. He hadn't even realized it was nearly seven at night already. Once you fall down the vortex of editing it was easy to lose reality sometimes. No he was not browsing baby animal pictures instead of actually editing.  
He opened his mouth to ask about the event when she looked around and frowned.  
“Where's Dan?”  
Phil pulled out his phone and sure enough Dan was live at the moment. He shot him a text.  
“He's doing a live show right now, but he'll be done soon.”  
She frowned. “I'm a bad mother, I don't even know what that is.”  
Phil was surprised to not hear any hint of joking in her voice and saw she looked legitimately upset with herself.  
“It's just a video he does that's live and he talks to people is all. It isn't a big thing.” He shrugged.  
“I suppose.” She trailed off and didn't meet his eye.  
She looked up at him intently.  
“I know he would hate me saying this. This isn't how he is, or how I am really but he just seems so happy. I know he truly loves you. Thank you.”  
Phil was taken aback.  
“I can assure you it's mutual.”  
“I just wish I was better at this, better at all of it and that I started trying to be better at it sooner.” She sighed “Oh please forget this conversation. I'm sorry.”  
“What conversation?” Dan asked as he walked in.  
She turned towards him with her eyes wide.  
“Oh just secrets about you.” Phil chimed in quickly.  
“Oh yes,” she forced a laugh. “Have you heard of when he got into the peach schnapps?”  
“Okay! That's enough of that story!”  
She laughed genuinely then and smiled at Phil gratefully from behind Dan's shoulder.  
“Alright boys so where are we going tonight? Whats the best new place to be?” She looked back and forth at them.  
“Don't hold out on me. I know it might not be my usual scene but I have always been interested in the big city night life and it isn't as if I'll have many opportunities. There isn't like there's anyone else I can go with. Let's go all out!”  
Phil narrowed his eyes. Surely she wasn't thinking of what he thought she was.  
“Are you talking about going to a gay bar, Mum!?” Dan asked incredulously  
Phil looked on as she looked absolutely mortified. It wasn't what they usually did. Hell, it wasn't what they ever did but she was trying and Phil knew that was why she really came here. To try.  
“I think it's a great idea!” He found himself chiming in before his mind could keep up with his mouth.  
Dan whipped his head towards him. “You what!?”  
“You do?” His mum asked at the same time, excitedly. “Oh thank god.” She chuckled, clearly relieved.  
“Yeah. It's been awhile but let's go. Meet back in the lounge in fifteen minutes ready to go?”  
“Oh god I hope I look right.” She called over her shoulder as she hurried to the amazingphil room where her things were.  
He wheeled Dan into their room and shut the door. He wrenched his mouth open at Phil and took a deep breath. That never meant anything in his favor.  
“Don't. Hey. Listen, Dan, she's really trying. This could be fun let's just go with it.”  
Dan continued to gape at him.  
“Hey.” he said, softer. “Your mum thanked me for making you happy, loving you, and all that proper in-law stuff right before you walked in. I kind of have to do whatever she wants now.”  
Dan guffawed in surprise. “A gay bar, Phil?” But he said it quietly and with a pleased smile.  
They got dressed in silence and were soon out the door.  
“God, I'm actually quite nervous. I don't know what to expect!” She laughed. Their cab was speeding to the bar Phil could find with the highest rating on yelp.  
“Expect to see your son get hit on an uncomfortable amount.” Phil said without looking up.  
“Phil!”  
“She's going to see it soon enough.”  
Dan's mum cackled.  
“Oh dear, I guess I did ask, didn't I?”

 

“What if they don't let me in?” She whispered between them as they walked towards the entrance.  
“Mum, you're right! We are going to have to find you a woman to make out with right now. I didn't even think of that. Quick, let's go ask her, she seems nice- Ow!” He grabbed his shoulder and snickered.  
She only swatted him harder a second time in response.  
“You're fine” Phil assured her, stifling a giggle.

 

An hour later and Phil had been good on his word and on his prediction for the evening. If it wasn't so awkward every time a different man walked up Phil would maybe find the whole thing less amusing. He got his fair share of interest, too but it was usually chased away with a dirty look from Dan.  
“You sure you don't want to dance with me, darling?” The man purred, looking Dan up and down with the hungriest predatory look. Phil couldn't really blame the guy. Dan was looking amazing tonight in his ripped jeans and red plaid shirt. His hair that had been wet from the rain and was now damp from sweat had extra curls that fell in his now crimson face.  
“I'm sure. I'm here with someone.” Dan said, staring at his feet. He was never good with strangers or compliments.  
Phil wanted to step forward and throw his arm around Dan but that wasn't how they worked. As if he could read his mind Dan spun around and wrapped his arms around Phil, swaying to the beat. He laughed into Phil's chest. So much for how they worked.  
“Alright, alright. I get the point no need to rub my face in it.” The man called as he made his way back into the pulsing crowd.  
Phil could faintly hear Dan's mum cackling from somewhere to his left. She said something about another round and started her way back towards the bartender.  
“I have made a terrible mistake and have somehow ended up with two tipsy Howells.” Phil teased.  
“No. I'm fine. I'm not tipsy, Philly.” Dan said as he booped Phil's nose.  
“Yeah I'm beginning to think you're not just tipsy either, Love.” Phil laughed.  
“Mum!” Dan sang out and collected the drink for both of them from her.  
After an obligatory cheers that should have by all means been more embarrassing than he found it, Phil tipped the drink back and enjoyed the warmth that traveled down his throat and into his belly.  
Dan started singing loudly to the song that was playing and grabbed his mum by the elbows. They danced and sang for hours. Phil sometimes joined in but more often than not just watched the two of them make fools of themselves. After a few last songs and too many more drinks they were stumbling to the curb waiting for their taxi cab.  
The fresh air felt nice on Phil's damp skin. He had cut himself off a good four or five drinks before the other two and the cool late night air was sobering him up in a pleasing way.

They sat in a comforting quiet the ride home.  
Phil stretched his arms over his head as they made their way through the front door of their flat.  
“You've done so well for yourself.” He heard behind him. Dan's mum had a sloppy smile on her face, her eyes wet.  
“I worry. I always worried and we don't talk as much as I want us to but I'm so proud of you.” She said fiercely. “I'm a shit mom at saying it.” She whispered.  
Dan only wrapped his arms tightly around her in a response.  
Phil felt a wetness creep up behind his own eyes and turned to leave, wanting to give the mother and son more privacy.  
“No you don't, Phil.” She clutched onto his arm and pulled her into her arms as well.  
“Love you both. I truly do.”  
Phil fought to keep the tears from falling. She hugged them tighter.  
He could feel Dan's gaze on him and looked over him. He smiled and made 'told you this would work' look with their silent communication. Dan nodded back with a sniff.  
“Oh and if your father ever asks I absolutely did not get plastered at a bar with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm kind of nervous about this one but I really love domestic family slice of life fics and had to take a shot at it.  
> Let me know what you think!  
> I also have a tumblr! Feel free to stop by!
> 
> https://tortitabby.tumblr.com/


End file.
